Indian Diaspora

Parliamentary Standing Committee released a report on action taken by the government on the observations/ recommendations on 'Indian Diaspora Overseas including NRIs, PIOs, OCIs and Migrant Workers'.

Lack of common definition for 'Non-Resident Indians' (NRIs).

Ministry of External Affairs should work towards proposing a common definition for the term NRIs which would be binding on all Acts as well as the State Legislations.

Limited Voting Rights to NRIs: Under section 20A of the 'Representation of People Act 1950', NRIs who have enrolled in the voters list have to be present physically to cast their votes.

Solutions like Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) can be looked into for extending the voting rights of NRIs.

Lack of authentic data on Indian Diaspora: India's official figures of diaspora does not match with UN Population division's estimates, showing discrepancy.

Ministry, together with the Bureau of Immigration, may devise mechanisms to collect and collate reliable data on migrants and returnees on real time basis.

Low success rate in transfer of Sentenced Persons: Despite having bilateral and multilateral agreements/conventions on Transfer of Sentenced Persons, only 8 Indian prisoners were transferred from foreign countries to India in the last three years.

Ministry of Home Affairs should pursue, process and sign bilateral agreements for transfer of sentenced persons with the remaining countries and amend existing agreements to facilitate smoother repatriation of prisoners.

Lacunae in Protection of Emigrants: Proliferation of unregistered/illegal Recruitment Agents (RAs) and illegal migration.

Ministry may explore the feasibility of establishing Protector of Emigrants (PoE) offices in States where currently such offices do not exist and develop a vigorous oversight mechanism for RAs.

The Government of India's approach to engaging with the Indian Diaspora is focussed on the four foundational pillars: Care, Connect, Celebrate, and Contribute.

The Indian diaspora has truly become "India's extended family" across the world, a source of pride, support, and influence. By consolidating the gains made so far and proactively addressing emerging challenges, India can ensure this living bridge grows stronger. The way forward lies in sustaining a two-way partnership: India empowering its diaspora, and the diaspora empowering India. With a shared vision and continued engagement, this dynamic relationship can be a key driver in India's quest for economic prosperity and global prominence in the years ahead.